How Can We Ever be the Same?
by Demon-Juna
Summary: This is a Nuka/Vitani fanfic. Deal with it. Nuka, Vitani, and Kovu are all not blood related, but sometimes surprises take place, sometimes people come out from nowhere. Nuka and Vitani partner up to support eachother in their adventure to love.
1. Chapter 1

This is a Nuka/Vitani fic, deal with it.

Vitani laid her head on the ground with a soft huff. She hated the dry season, so little food, so little water. She growled to herself, and turned around to see her teenage 'brother' behind her.

"Hey Nuka" She greeted with a ferocious glint in her eyes. He stared back at her for a moment.

"What do you want, termite?" He sneered finally, his tail flicking back and forth with agitation.

Vitani bared her teeth at Nuka, eyes gleaming. "Do you know where Kovu is at? I am bored and want to fight"

Nuka looked surprised, but only for a moment. "Why dont you fight me then?" He growled, his neck fur bristling.

Vitani laughed, a short bark that echoed through the barrens. She snickered for a moment more before replying with a snarl.

"Just so I can beat you up?"

Nuka snarled back at her, and was suddenly running at her. She crouched down, preparing for impact from Nuka. At the last minute she leaped up and clung to his growing mane, she dug her claws into the thin fur, and bit into his ear.

Nuka gave a start, twisting around and swatting her away with a heavy paw. She gave a small 'oof' and pretended to be seriously hurt.

"Ow ow ow!" She whimpered, fake tears springing into her eyes as she held fast to the foreleg she had landed on. She could hear Nuka's footballs approaching, and tensed up; ready to fling herself at him again.

"Vitani? Vitani what wrong?" Was he actually concerned for her? Her teeth bared in a grimace of fake pain as she looked back up to him with the tears in her eyes still showing.

Her grimace turned into a smirk as she sprung at him once more, nipping his nose and darting between his legs with as must speed as the cub could muster.

"Hey!" He yelped, scrambling away from her as he tried to swat her away once more.

"That's no fair!"

She smirked. "Because an enemy is SO going to tell you when they are going to attack"

Nuka huffed, giving her one of his rare wry smiles. The smile was gone almost as soon as it came as a gentle masculine voice called her name.

"Vitani! Hey, wanna play?" Kovu asked as he padded up. He sat beside her, and Vitani frowned. She was having enough fun with Nuka, now Kovu just HAD to come along and ruin it.

"Nah, me and Nuka are already playing" She said, trying to stay submissive. Although she was angry, she still loved her brother, and didnt want to hurt his feelings. Yet he still looked crestfallen as he walked away from the two.

Nuka cleared his throat, and tackled Vitani again. His paws brushed softly against the underside of her fur, and an involuntary giggle spurted from her lips. Nuka grinned, realizing the slight weak point and beginning to tickle her much more deliberately.

"How's that for a fight, little wrench!" Sarcasm layered his voice as he moved to different areas; under her arms, behind her neck, under her chin. She was squealing with laughter, but was still trying to fend him off with jerking limbs. He was snickering at her attempts, eyes lighting up with excitement.

She pushed one of his paws off of her, wrapping around it and biting down on it with vigor. She was thrown off the paw and into the dust, and gave a sharp cry as she landed on top of someone.

"Ow! Kovu...?!" She yelped, getting off of her adoptive brother. She backed away, sitting down and lapping the dust from her pelt. "What are you doing back here?" She asked.

"I never left" He replied, and Vitani felt anger burn in the pit of her stomach. "You were spying on us?!" She snarled sharply, swinging a soft paw, with claws unsheathed, at his side. He was bowled over by her swing, and he looked at her with a betrayed expression.

"Ugh! I just wanna...!" She trailed off as she ran away from her adoptive brothers. Her paws working before her mind had any input. Before she knew it, she was walking along the border of the pridelands, and could hear the soft gurgle of the small river that divided her home from theirs.

She stalked along, listening to her breathing and glaring at anything and everything that dared look at her.

Her claws scratched against the ground as she sat down, her shoulders hunched and a dark look captured her appearance. Her blue eyes searched the ground, as if it would give her answers. Her thoughts were all jumbled up into a big mess of angst. Her thoughts trailed off to her 'dad'; Scar, and she choked back a sob.

"I miss you, dad" She murmured softly, looking up at the clear blue sky. He had always treated her fairly, even if it was sarcastically, and had always given her and Nuka attention, why did he have to die? Why did he have to replace her and Nuka with Kovu?

"Aren't I good enough?" She murmured, not really expecting a reply.

"Yes, you are" Vitani jumped, and twisted around to look at Nuka.

"What do you want?" She asked, her walls rebuilt, her eyes concealing her emotions.

"Am I not allowed to try and find you?" He asked, and Vitani spat out her answer.

"No"

"Well, I did it anyways" She growled at his reply, and gave Nuka a dirty look. "Don't you have to go train or something?" She snarled, eyes burning. Nuka growled back, she had made him angry.

"You just have to hit every nerve you can find, dont you?!" He snarled, lashing out and clouting her over the head with his claws. She flinched away. "At least you got a chance to be royal! All that I will ever get it a guard!" His tail lashed violently.

"The choice wasnt mine!" She shouted. "If I could choose, I would marry whomever I would like to, and not end up being known as some pretty little spoiled brat of a princess like that stupid little cub Kiara!" Her voice dripped with venom. "If I could, I would trade places with you, I hate the fact that I have to marry Kovu! I want to live a free life with no ties! But NOOOOO! Mother just HAD to betroth me to that rogue's offspring!"

Nuka was bristling. "Rogue's offspring, Vitani?! Aren't YOU a rogue's offspring?"

Vitani flinched. "I dont know where I came from! Mother claims an old pride from the south, father used to say that I was a Outlander's offspring before they got chased out by other lions, I dont know!"

Nuka spat his words, snarky voice cutting her barriers down. "Life's not fair Vitani! If you think that you have it bad, look at me! My own biological father disowned me! I never had such great chances as you do now! I was seen as the weak spot, the kink in the armor, the bad in the good!"

He began to stalk off, and Vitani followed on soft paws, her heart thrummed with anger in her chest as she slowly followed alongside him. Although her dark looks held nothing but anger, she felt pity for her brother as well. After all, he was telling the truth about never getting a chance.

"Look, Nuka, I'm sorry... it's just I'm hungry... and angry... and thirsty..." She trailed off, eyes cast downwards as she felt her stomach grumble.

"Damn dry season" Nuka snarked in agreement, eyes alight with a fire.

"Hey, least we got eachother... and Kovu... right?" Vitani said, bumping her shoulder against his leg.


	2. Chapter 2

3 Months Later.

Vitani stretched her forelegs, watching the sun rise over the orange-red termite mounds. Her back arched as she yawned with slight indifference of the sun. She preferred night, when her mother was not pestering her about battle training, protecting Kovu, and other things that were completely useless. Her mother lacked the knowledge that battle training would soon grow boring, especially if the training was _always_ centered around oh-so-great Kovu.

Of course, she loved Kovu, but as a brother, nothing more, nothing less. She would honestly risk her neck for him any day, but sometimes she grew especially irritated with him. She and Nuka got the scraps from hunts, while Kovu was always made sure to be as well-fed as possible.

Vitani bared her teeth as hunger racked her stomach like a claw. Of course, she and Nuka got more food than the rest of the pride. No, they had to find their own food if they wanted to live.

If. Ha! If! Riiiiggghhht, if any lioness died, Zira would only see it as a point of weakness, and probably push the pride harder for 'perfection'. Of course, then even more would die then.

As an adolescent, she and Kovu would have to eat more for muscle and strength, more Kovu than her. She knew the battle that she and her family had been waiting for would be in a year or so. Another dry season would have to pass before then, otherwise Simba and his mangy lionesses would be in prime condition.

Her claws sunk into the ground, and Vitani growled, her eyes raising to look at the weakening pride.

"Kovu!" Her mother called in her almost elder voice. Yes, in a few more years she would be nothing but a corpse on the dusty barren ground. Vitani lifted her head to watch her fit brother pad up to her 'mother'.

"Vitani!" Her mother called with more impatience. Of course, she was always more patient with her favorite. Stretching once more, Vitani blew her tuft lightly out of her eyes and ran to her mother, halting abruptly.

"Took you long enough" Her mother sneered, and Vitani shuffled her paws. Any excuse she would come up with would simply be blown over Zira's shoulder. She didn't bother with explaining herself anymore.

"Today we need to practice hunting. We will only lightly touch on this, battle is MUCH more important, and of course..." Her gaze travelled to Kovu, not even touching Vitani's blue gaze. "... Scar would only want the best for his chosen one" She paused, longer this time. "And Vitani, it would be instinct for you, but you need to be strong to be able to protect and defend Kovu when needed"

Vitani practically glowed. Only small moments would Zira actually give her a shredded second of attention. Of course, it never lasted, but still... it felt good.

She dipped her head in acceptance, and looked back up to see Zira in a crouch. Vitani quickly copied the form, and drew her paws forward in a stalking technique. She knew how to stalk, this was so easy!

Kovu, on the other paw, was having trouble.

He was drawing forward in jerky movements, his bulk brushing the ground rather loudly. Vitani rolled her eyes and grinned. Maybe her mother would call him out on his faults.

False hope.

"Vitani! Quit moving so fast, predators would notice you with no problem! And quit staring at Kovu! Pay attention to your own actions!" Zira snapped, her teeth clacking close to Vitani's ear. Kovu nearly jumped out of his skin. Pfft, what a scared-y cat!

* * *

**Hey, long time no see, eh? Sorry, stuff has been going down at home. My cat has been having seizures and I simply haven't been home long enough to get a proper chapter out.**


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